Of Kings and Roses
by J.A.K
Summary: Harry and Pansy are caught snogging in the Library.
1. Chapter One

**Author**: J.A.K.

**Rating**: R

**Author's Notes**: This _could_ be the one-shot that I envisioned it to be, _or_ another fabulous tale of mine. One where Harry and Pansy journey to realize the most meaningful relationship either of them has ever had. I haven't written more, but I very well _could_ because I've become a fan of theirs recently. I love unconventional couples and right now, they're at the top of my list. So the choice really is yours. If enough of you want it, I'll continue. If not, then that's fine with me too. As always, please read, review, and _most_ importantly…enjoy!

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One-Shot or Chapter One **

There had always been an underlying tension between them. Whether it was the result of the obvious hatred that both felt towards the other or it was born of a more subtle attraction, neither had ever dared explore.

Until recently.

How the famed boy had ever managed to achieve an 'Outstanding' in potions, Snape would never know. The chance, however, had presented itself for him to deliver a long overdue reprisal and he took it, pushing his idea forward under the guise of an assignment. What had begun as a spiteful plan on Snape's part had turned into something almost forbidden but infinitely more exciting for the two students involved.

For a little more than a year the potions professor had been a non issue for Harry. He had washed his hands clean of everything the man touched and affected from the moment he learned of Sirius' death.

After the melee had occurred at the ministry, few people were left untouched from Harry's wrath. His anger had been especially prevalent towards anyone who played a role in his godfather's demise; from Dumbledore—for not trusting him to be able to handle his own fate, to Snape—who had purposefully made learning Occulmeny difficult. Harry had little words left for the headmaster. He had no words left for the professor.

Snape had not known what to think of Harry's silent treatment in the beginning of his sixth year. The potion masters threats had ranged from reduced points to expulsion from his class. Unfortunately for Snape, Harry held little regard for the points. Gryffindor would win the Quidditch Cup at the end of the year and that was _all_ that mattered to him.

Harry's concern was also lacking towards those of his housemates who were furious with him for Gryffindor's ever declining ranking. Those people, he decided, could go fuck themselves. As for the former, Harry wished everyday that Snape _would_ kick him out of his class. _Then_ he could tell the hook nosed man what he really thought about him.

His mind traveled back to the present day where he was abruptly pulled from his musings by a pair of hands. They had snatched his glasses right off of his face. Harry blinked once in delayed surprise and then, as if snapped out of his temporary paralysis, placed his fallen book on the table and jumped out of his seat to catch his would-be assailant.

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It was a Saturday night and a Hogsmeade weekend to boot and Pansy was alone. _Sure_, her state of solitude had come about out of her own doings—as it had been her decision to stay away from the masses of Hogwarts students—but still, there was something inexcusably wrong about the situation she was currently in. 

She hadn't wanted to admit to herself that her absence from Hogsmeade was due to a certain green eyed Gryffindor, so instead she went to the library. There, she hoped that she could complete one of her numerous essays but prayed that she would also run into Harry Potter.

As luck would have it, he _was_ there. His head was propped against the tall back of a wooden chair and his legs, which were crossed at the ankle, were both resting comfortably on top of the cherry oak table. He seemed to be deep in thought and none the wiser to her presence.

Pansy glanced about unsure of what she should do. There were a handful of students in the entire room and none of them were anywhere near this section. She looked at the books surrounding her and noticed that most were about reptiles. Pansy walked closer to him and saw that the book that was propped in his lap was about snakes. A small smirk covered her mouth as she realized that he was taking her advice.

Pansy took another small step in his direction. There were several ways in which she could have approached him. The one that stuck in her mind, however, led her to do what she did next.

Consternation quickly turned into anticipation as Harry realized who had taken his specs. Secretly he had hoped that she would stay at Hogwarts this weekend, but it gave him immense satisfaction to know that she had actually sought him out. The shell, it would appear, was beginning to crack at last.

Hands folded, he raked Pansy's entire length, from head to foot, with an unwavering intensity.

Pansy felt her heart rate increase at his unhurried perusal of her body. She knew that _he_ knew how affective his gaze was and he had no problem using it on her every time they met. Instead of letting him see that he made her weak, she resolutely returned his stare.

"You _do_ know that anyone could have attacked you from the position you left yourself in." Her words were mocking, and could not easily be recognized under the muddled feelings of anxiety.

Harry's reply was equally caustic, not willing to concede even an inch of himself to her.

"_Really_ Parkinson…am I suppose to be touched by your concern?"

Pansy swallowed as he stepped in her direction. She took an answering step back.

"Or were _you_ the one planning on attacking me?"

His remark snapped Pansy out of any uncertainty that kept her from approaching him. She raised her chin, defiant as always, her trademark smirk covering her face.

"Maybe I _was_ going to hex you." She moved closer to him. "What makes you think that we aren't still enemies, huh? A bit of snogging behind closed doors doesn't change six years of hatred. It doesn't change the fact that I hate you."

Her words gave him pause. Harry had told himself that very thing in past reflections of their warped relationship. There was nothing to say that enemies weren't attracted to each other. In fact, it was that very thought which occasionally made him wonder what would have happened if Draco Malfoy had been a girl. Given that, however, didn't mean that said enemies ever acted on their attraction. Maybe he _had_ crossed some crazy forbidden line by acting on his conjecture of what they possibly could have. _Maybe_ she appealed to him so much because of the certainty that if anything _did_ spark between them it would be purely illicit.

For the very first time since looking at her this evening, Harry felt uncertain about what to do next.

"Cat got your tongue Potter?" Pansy was radiating confidence, conviction renewed now that she had control of the situation. "Or has your undersized brain decided it doesn't understand rejection when it hears it."

The lady doth protest too much, Harry suddenly decided. And so _what_ if he had crossed some obscure forbidden line? Didn't someone at some point in history say that the worst of enemies were also the best of lovers?

"I don't ever recall hearing a no on your part Parkinson," Harry allowed a casual smile to grace his mouth. "And as for the latter half of your statement, a cat has _not_ "got" my tongue, but maybe _you_ can if you ask nicely."

His smugness grated on Pansy's nerves. How dare he be so cocky while speaking to her.

"Fuck You Harry Potter," she said with narrowed eyes.

"Only if you promise," he said, fake innocence disguising his words.

Pansy couldn't help but be slightly taken aback by his response. Her eyes widened infinitesimally as she carefully looked him over. Where had this Harry Potter come from? Had he always been this…this…_sexy_? His glasses were in her hand leaving his face bare. But even with them on, he was still handsome. Maybe even more so than without. His hair, which seemed messy as always, was no longer a source for insult but a highlight in his overall appearance. His robe lay on the desk next to his discarded book, allowing Pansy to discern the shape of his body, instead of imagining what it looked like as she had been doing for the past several weeks.

Harry didn't mind Pansy's appraisal of him as he had reciprocated her actions in the past. Instead, he utilized her distracted state and moved a few paces closer.

She hid her surprise well when she realized that they were almost touching. Harry was a good head taller than her so she was forced to look up to continue watching his face. Pansy's breath caught in her throat when she became conscious of him staring at her lips. His gaze moved slowly up to her eyes, silently begging her to concede. She parted her mouth, an unconscious move, as she was forced to breathe faster.

Harry leaned in, captivated by the moment just as she was. A beat before their lips touched he heard her whisper: "I hope you know that this is _quite_ unnatural." Harry couldn't help the small smile that crossed his features as they kissed.

Their lips touched and he moaned at the sensation that flooded his system. He had been envisioning this feeling from the time their last snogging session had ended a short week ago. Putting a hand on her back and the other at her jaw he coaxed her lips open. He let her tongue slip into his mouth. Pansy moaned when he sucked on her tongue lightly. There was nothing _too_ demanding about what the other did. Things were more relaxed than all previous encounters as they exchanged kiss after soft kiss.

There was a light thud as Harry's specs slid from Pansy's hands and landed, forgotten on the carpeted floors. She wound her newly freed fingers along the collar of his shirt and through the strands of his slightly curly hair. Blood rushed to Pansy's head as he deepened their kisses. Quite suddenly she became the aggressor as her lips moved a bit frantically over his.

Harry wrapped both arms around her and pressed her as close to his body as he could without hurting her. Lost in sensation, he broke their kiss and moved his lips over her cheek, across her jaw, and down her neck where he lightly sucked on the skin there.

Pansy couldn't help the moan that escaped her throat.

Harry felt all the blood in his head rush south at the noise and suddenly, he didn't have enough of her in his reach. Putting his hands underneath her robes, he slid his fingers beneath her sweater and up her stomach where they ran teasingly over her nipples. She wasn't wearing a bra he suddenly realized. The knowledge made his knees weak.

"Harry," his name sounded breathy and uninhibited on her lips. She hadn't meant for it to come across that way, but she was trying, in vain, to tell him to stop before they got caught.

When he heard her moan his name, what little restraint he had over himself snapped. In one fluid motion Harry lifted Pansy up and guided her legs around his waist. He pushed them the short distance to the shelf so that her back pressed against the many books that lived there. When their lips met again, his kisses were demanding. Pansy wound both of her arms around his neck, pulling his head closer.

So caught up in what the other was doing, the two scarcely noticed that there was a very shocked librarian standing behind them with a disapproving expression on her face.

"As much as those books needed dusting, I can assure you that Miss Parkinson's robes were not needed to complete the aforementioned."

The snogging couple immediately disentangled themselves from one another at Madame Pince's voice. Though Pansy kept a steely expression on her face, her cheeks were burning with mild embarrassment. Harry on the other hand was as cool as a cucumber. This was not the first time he had been caught snogging in the library.

"Miss Parkinson, this is the first time I've caught you engaging in such disagreeable activity…so I will let you go with a warning." Madame Pince felt her lips pinch together. "But _you_ Mr. Potter. You seem to defy me at every turn, each time promising that it will be your last."

"But Madame—"

The librarian shot her palms up.

"Please spare me your useless words Mr. Potter, just be forewarned. The _next_ time I catch you in such a compromising position in _my_ library I will ban you from _ever_ stepping foot in here again…_after_ I tell Professor McGonagall _exactly_ why Gryffindor should lose two hundred points."

With that, the old woman turned around with a flourish of material and stalked back to her desk.

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**AN 2**: Should I continue? Let me know; if not, it can be a cute one-shot, right? Thanks for reading. 

**Remember**: Embrace the ship of Harry and Pansy forever!


	2. Chapter Two

**Author**: J.A.K.

**Rating**: R

**Author's Note**: So **_wow_**. I really didn't expect so many responses. I've never gotten so many reviews for one chapter before. But this just goes to show that there are numerous underground Harry/Pansy lovers who have just been waiting to read a multi-chaptered H/P story. Well, the good news is, I _will_ continue. The bad news is I don't know how frequently I'll be updating. I just finished school, and I'll be working this summer, so my free time is limited. However I do have a livejournal account which I'll be putting to good use starting now. For all those who are interested enough to see the comments I made to your reviews, then go to www dot livejournal dot com/users/kallie1385. I responded to everybody, even if you just said: 'cool story, continue.' It is there that I will interact with anyone who has ideas, remarks, or who just wants to chat. Messaging is instantaneous so we can really have conversations.

Ummmm….I _think_ that was it. I have part of the third chapter finished and I also have a lot of ideas, so that should be out in the next two weeks. Perhaps if I get some reviews…I don't mean to bribe anyone, but it truly is inspiring when I check my email and see some of your fabulous responses. Anyways…enough of my babbling. Read, review, and _most_ importantly…enjoy!

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I lie there on the ground as my flesh desires you,  
There's nothing I want more than to be together.  
My lust, my pain, goes unheard for many ages,  
And my mind aches out of passion.  
Whenever I think of you. 

Time after time I look at it all,  
And see so much unhappiness that I cannot recall,  
The last time I saw love in a way that was meant to be,  
Or the last time I felt love in all the ways that it should be. --_unknown _

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**Chapter Two**

There was an awkward beat of silence as the pair gazed at the empty air of space where the librarian had been standing mere moments ago. Then, as if released by a binding spell, Pansy whirled around, turning furious eyes on Harry."This is _all_ your _fault_," she spat, poking him in the chest with her index finger. "If that batty old woman tells _anyone_ about what she saw—"

Harry shrugged unconcernedly.

"Don't worry, she won't."

"But how can you be certain." Pansy's heart thudded loudly against her chest as she thought of all the horrific ways she could be humiliated if word ever got out that she was snogging Harry Potter in the library.

"I'm sure _you_ didn't know _I'd_ been caught back here before…"

Pansy felt a surge of irritation run though her at the implications of his words. Silently she berated herself for still standing there, indulging him further with her presence. With a sigh of annoyance she crossed her arms over her chest and whirled away from him.

Both of them heard the crunch at the same time.

"Oops." Her tone was dry as she looked down at the broken frames of Harry's glasses.

Harry felt no anger towards her. In fact, all he could feel was relief. Their meeting was unplanned and unexpected. They were both lucky that it was only Pince who had stumbled upon them and not some godforsaken Slytherin or clueless Hufflepuff.

"Accio wand." He said as Pansy stepped around him and moved to gather her parchments from where she had left them on the table.

"Reparro." Harry bent and picked up his glasses. Putting them on, he could clearly make out Pansy's face and the frown that marred her features. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

"I hate you," Pansy was annoyed beyond reason at the compromising position she'd been caught in and quite suddenly needed to vent her frustrations at the person who had been the bane of her existence for the last two months. "And you hate me as well."

Again Harry opened his mouth, but again he was cut off.

"You may have disillusioned yourself into believing that you hold some sort of desire for me but rest assured that it was only a fleeting emotion and will be gone as soon as you set your sight on some one of your many snogging partners in the school." Pansy narrowed her eyes, even more irritated now. "I can see that I've indulged this…these…" She searched for the proper explanation, trying to make sense of her own confusion. "_Encounters_ for too long—because somehow they've encouraged you to boldly make distasteful and might I add unwanted advances." He snorted when she said unwanted but Pansy ignored him. "And I just want to make it clear to you that from now on things are as they were—if not worse. You are Harry effing Potter whose best friends are a mudblood and a _poor_ excuse for a fullblood, and yes, the pun was intended."

Pansy calmly adjusted the papers that rested between her hands.

"So you see…it's as I first said. I hate you…and you hate me."

Harry could feel his own anger rising to the surface. How dare she tell him these things, e_specially_ seeing as they were only half true. As a matter of fact, s_he_ was the one who told him that she thought parseltongue was sexy. And when he had told her that he didn't really know how to control it, _she_ was the one who suggested that he ought to learn how to properly command the language so that he could use it at will. _She_ was the one who dared him, just last week, to push his hand underneath her skirt during Potions class. Now she was twisting the whole thing upside down as if she never wanted it—as if she never wanted him.

Harry caught her elbow and turned her around.

Eyes flashing indignantly, Pansy swiftly looked down at where his fingers touched her skin.

"Get off of me," she said snatching her arm from his grasp. As she pulled away from him, all the papers that she had collected went flying to the ground.

Unwilling to cause a scene for the other six people who were still in the library to hear, Harry raised his hands, palms facing her in a mock placating gesture.

"Hey, _I_ was just making sure your jaw wasn't broken after releasing all that shit from your mouth."

Pansy was not phased by his retort. She had become aware of his ability to make quick comebacks from since First Year when he and Draco first started dueling it out with one another.

"I didn't say anything false, I never once asked you to come to me."

Harry was so annoyed he could barely keep his voice below a shout.

"Well, it wasn't as if you ever pushed me away."

Pansy didn't know if he was having memory problems, but she was only too happy to remind him.

"I'm _always_ the first one to push away."

She did have him there, but Harry was too much on a role to let something like the truth stop him.

"Well what about tonight."

Pansy shrugged, silently scolding herself for not having left yet.

"What _about_ tonight?"

"You were the one who took my glasses off of my face. You could have just as easily walked by, seeing as how you _always_ push me away, but what did you do?"

Pansy looked away, trying desperately to appear unconcerned. "I was just trying to tell you to be careful."

Harry felt a smirk cover his mouth.

"If you're so concerned about my safety then why do you keep telling me that you hate me?"

"Because I _do_," Pansy looked away again, but this time it was from lack of comfort. She was ill at ease that he had turned her words so effectively against her.

Harry shook his head at her response as he stared at her intently.

"I think you only say that so you can convince yourself of an obvious and might I add blatant lie."

Pansy felt heat rising to the surface of her skin. This was embarrassing. These were all the things she had told herself when she was lying in bed and alone, and all the things that she hadn't allowed herself to think out loud. _How_, after all these years of intensely disliking each other, was he able to read her so well?

Pansy shrugged.

"I didn't know that you could think."

Annoyance quelled the smile that was bubbling inside of him.

"Stop trying to change the subject."

"_Stop_ telling me what to do," she said through gritted teeth.

They stood inches away from one another now and if someone had asked Pansy how they had gotten so close to each other without her noticing sooner, she would have shrugged and said she didn't know. Her heart hammered thunderously against her chest as panic came to life within her. This was how all their kisses had started, with an argument. If she allowed him to kiss her this time she couldn't deny to him _or_ _herself_ that she was full of shit. She couldn't refute that maybe, perhaps, _somehow_ she liked…

Before her thoughts progressed any further, Pansy backed away.

"I'm leaving now before you tell me something truly idiotic, like I'm in love with you."

For the second time that night Pansy whirled away from him, and for the second time that night Harry pulled her back.

"I _know_ that you don't love me, cause I sure as hell don't love you," Her eyes widened at this statement and he hurried to get the rest of his words out, "but I like you, and I think that you like me too."

There were several beats of silence before she responded.

"Well Harry Potter," Pansy said slowly. "I always knew that you were a fool, but when did you become so damn presumptuous?"

Harry shrugged, a mischievous look dancing in his eyes.

"The minute you started snogging the hell out of me at 11 o'clock at night in the library."

Pansy's eyes widened with indignation. Just as she opened her mouth to tell him what to do with himself, she felt her shoulders slump. Her whole body deflated with defeat as she looked at the ground. For the first time in a long while she had nothing left to say.

"Could it be," Pansy looked up to see Harry's half smiling face. "Is that silence I hear?"

"Shut up," she muttered, though her words held none of the bite they usually did.

Harry closed the gap that was between them and raised his hand so that it cupped her cheek. "Why don't you make me?"

Though Pansy could feel herself stiffen, she could not suppress the shiver that coursed through her body at his tone or the heat that pooled in her stomach at his touch.

"That's cliché, even for you."

He shrugged again.

"I couldn't think of anything better just then."

She looked into his eyes then and saw how dark they were. His normally emerald green irises were dark with desire. Desire for her, she suddenly realized. Harry Potter somehow, inexplicably wanted _her_…

…and she wanted him back.

Though she was feeling unusually warm inside, Pansy's words remained cool.

"You're not going to kiss me now, are you?"

Harry couldn't help the smile that formed on his face at how familiar he was becoming with her. No longer did questions such as the aforementioned sound weird. They were appropriate and Pansyish, and if she had replied with anything different, _then_ he would have thought her weird.

He let his hand drop.

"Only if you want me to."

Something occurred to her just then. No one was around them. If she _were_ to respond to him, who would know.

Pansy folded her arms over her chest and unhurriedly checked him out. This time there was no wonder or mock or glare in her eyes. She was simply taking him in.

"And what if I did want you to," she said, determined that her voice would not betray how badly she wanted him. Determined that he could not tell how apprehensive she was.

However, before either of them could speak, Madame Pince returned again.

"I'm shutting the Library down early today." She was still watching them with disapproving eyes. "I've got a very bad headache."

Though Pansy did not want to stay there, she couldn't help but express her incredulity.

"What if we have to study?"

Madame Pince's face was noncommittal.

"Then you'll have to do it in your respective rooms. Right now I just need everyone out."

Pansy felt her familiar scowl settle itself on her face again. She would have to write home to her mother about this. Here they were at the midterm mark, with shit loads of work and tests to study for, and the Library was being closed early. Hogwarts was slipping more and more everyday. Thank goodness she would be gone by time it was really down the drain.

"Whatever," she mumbled snidely under her breath.

Pansy quickly picked up her papers and, without a second glance at the boy standing behind her, left the library.

Harry knew the moment had been broken as soon as he'd heard Pince's voice, so he just stared at Pansy's retreating form as she swiftly made her way towards the exit.

With a sigh, he walked over to the table and grabbed his book. When he looked up to leave, he was surprised to see the Librarian still standing there. She was watching him with eyes that held something akin to mild disdain.

"I certainly hope I don't catch you in any more unflattering positions from now until the end of the school year."

Harry forced a smile on his face and with extreme effort to keep his voice friendly said:

"Goodnight Madame Pince."

The older woman stared at him for a long moment before she replied with her own acknowledgment.

"Goodnight Mr. Potter."

Harry was angry all the way back to his dormitory. Without a word to anyone, he made his way to his bed and pulled his curtains shut. Before he let himself relax, he reached underneath his mattress and pulled out a bottle.

_Firewhiskey_, the label read. _Aged 15 Years_.

With a long swing to the head he fell back into the softness of his pillow. After stretching his muscles sufficiently he sat up a bit and took another long swing. Within minutes the Boy-Who-Lived was fast asleep.

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**AN2:** Reminder my responses are at my livejournal. If the link above doesn't show properly, b/c doesn't like us linking to other sites, just go to livejournal dot com and look for kallie1385.

**Remember**: Embrace the ship of Harry and Pansy forever!


	3. Chapter Three

**Author**: J.A.K.

**Rating**: PG-13/R

**Author's Note**: What can I say other than I am extremely sorry about the delay. School is kicking my ass as well as HBP. Thanks to that book I really don't know where to go from here, but I'll try to keep with my own limited plot ideas and mix them in with some things that have transpired in the sixth book. Read, review, and _most_ importantly…enjoy!

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Chapter Three **

Ron had known that Harry was in a bad mood from the moment he walked through the doors last night. When he hadn't said a word to any of the other boys who were sitting and chatting about the various girls whom they'd shagged that week, Ron didn't think much of it. He'd be in a crappy mood too if he'd spent his whole day in the Library doing a research paper while the rest of his pals were at Hogsmeade living it up.

"Harry," Ron waited for his friend to respond. Tried as he might he couldn't hear a sound over Seamus and Neville's voices. The two were on Dean Thomas' bed, Neville leaning on Dean's pillows while Seamus lay on the other end of the bed, his face turned towards the canopy as he looked at the cotton material which connected to the four wooden posts of the frame. Both stared, with unseeing eyes at their respective focal points, as they regaled to Ron and Dean their various conquests.

Annoyed, Ron didn't give much thought to the words that came out of his mouth.

"Would you two shut the bloody hell up, we all know that neither one of you did any of what you're talking about."

Both boys stopped their chatter and looked over at Ron with confused eyes. Ron, however, didn't notice either one of them as he had already made his way over to Harry's bed.

"Who shoved a broom stick up his ass," Seamus asked as he sat up.

Dean shrugged and told him to continue. He wanted to know what Seamus had done after he'd gotten Daphne Greengrass into McGonagall's empty classroom. Seamus looked at Ron a second longer and then flopped back onto the mattress as he continued his tale.

"Harry," Ron said, louder this time. Still his friend didn't respond. The red-headed boy's brow creased with concern. Murmuring the ward repellant underneath his breath, Ron pushed back the heavy red drapes with a quick swing. Much to his relief, Harry was fast asleep with a bottle of firewhiskey hanging loosely from his fingertips.

Ron felt a bit confused at the sight of the container. Besides recreational purposes, Harry only drank when he needed to quickly lull himself to sleep. Ron would've thought that a research paper would be as good as the best bottle of whiskey as far as forced sleep was concerned, but perhaps something else had happened in the library. Maybe it was all that news about Voldemort leaving his mark not too far away from the muggle village outside of Hogsmeade. Perhaps it was just the stress from taking all of their exams. Whatever it was, Ron knew that it wouldn't bode well if anyone caught Harry with such an incriminating possession. Though anyone besides he and Hermione would be hexed if they tried to open Harry's drapes, his peace of mind would be eased if he took away the alcohol.

He grabbed the mug by its neck and shoved the offending object underneath Harry's mattress. With a quick look at his other roommates, Ron took Harry's shoes off and tossed his quilt over his body. Closing the drapes hastily, he murmured the spell which activated the ward. Heart hammering, he turned back to Neville, Dean, and Seamus, who were still deeply engrossed in conversation. Much to his relief his friends hadn't noticed what he had been doing. The very last thing he wanted was for any of them to accuse him of mothering Harry. He wouldn't be able to live it down. Turning the light by Harry's bed off with a flick of his wand, Ron walked over and threw himself on Seamus' bed.

"What'd I miss," Ron asked.

Dean and Seamus gave each other a sidelong look, both with a smirk planted firmly on their faces.

"Are you sure you're done tucking Harry in then," this question came from Dean who was trying hard not to burst out laughing.

Though it was somewhat dark, Ron knew that his face had turned three shades of red.

"Whatever," he said, unable to think of a witty retort, "Just tell me what happened when you took Greengrass into the classroom."

Seamus looked as if he wanted to continue ragging on Ron, but his need to boast about shagging Daphne Greengrass overrode the former, and all four boys continued talking way into the night.

* * *

When Harry awoke, he felt as if someone was doing a slow but steady jig on his temple. As he opened his eyes and became more aware of his surroundings, realization swiftly dawned on him. 

Things were not as he'd left them last night.

Harry suppressed a yawn as he ran his fingers through his unruly hair. Rubbing the remaining remnants of sleep from his eyes, he reached under his pillow and put on his glasses.

He knew that the alcohol that he had consumed the night before did not merit any type of memory loss. With that established, he was also fairly certain that he had neither covered himself with his sheet, nor had he taken off his shoes. Most disturbing of all, however, was his missing bottle of firewhiskey.

Although he couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed by these minor disturbances, wells of warmth also pervaded the length of his body. Ron was not just his best friend, but he was a brother, and though Harry wished that he wouldn't worry about him so much, he was also grateful for the concern.

Taking out his wand, which also lay in silent companionship with his specs, he opened the drapes that were shutting out the offensive sunlight.

Not much to his surprise, he saw Neville and Seamus passed out on Dean's bed, while Dean lay curled on the floor, his head resting comfortably on a rather fluffy pillow. Ron on the other hand seemed to be separate from the group and was lying flat on his back on Seamus' bed.

Tried as he might, Harry couldn't help but suffuse the amused smile that covered his mouth. With one last look at his half drunken roomates, he shook his head and gathered his towel and soap ready and willing to enjoy a nice long soak.

* * *

Harry felt invigorated from his bath and entered the Great Hall with more contentment than he was, as of late, use to carrying around. 

It was a Sunday morning, so a great majority of students who were not off doing their own various activities (such as Hogsmeade or Church) were sleeping soundly, dead to the world. Fortunately, Hermione was not one of those people; though—as usual—her nose was buried behind a thick book.

"Morning, Hermione," Harry said as he took the seat opposite from her.

"Morning," she replied, never once taking her eyes away from her page.

Popping a few grapes into his mouth, he couldn't help but notice that only six Slytherins sat at their respective table, and none of them happened to be Pansy.

"How did your paper go," Hermione asked, finishing the last sentence of the chapter she was reading.

Harry contemplated the question at hand. Pansy had finally admitted that she was equally attracted to him as he was to her. All in all, it was a fairly descent night.

He shrugged, looking down at the knife he was using to spread jam on his slice of bread.

"It went better than expected."

Hermione gave Harry a quizzical expression as she softly put down her book.

"But did you finish," she asked, fingering grapes from the bunch he had been eating from not too long ago.

If by that she meant parseltongue, the answer was a resounding no. As a matter of fact, he hadn't gotten close to controlling the language that he and his sworn enemy spoke. He had thought that looking at pictures of snakes would help further him along in his pursuit, but that had proved to be unsuccessful as well.

Harry shook his head and sighed, looking down at his fingers again.

"Not even close."

Hermione gave him a reproachful look. One that was dulled by the lessons she'd learned on how best to scold her best friends without appearing to be patronizing.

Harry lifted his palms up in a placating gesture.

"I know, I _know_," he said.

Hermione 'hmphed' and looked at the slow trickle of people who were making their way into the Hall.

"What _do_ you know exactly," she asked, pretending to be unconcerned.

Harry prepared the words in his mind as a child would prepare for their mother.

"I _know_ that I need to buckle down, and stay focused, _and_…hmmm….what am I looking for…." Harry paused bearing a small grin as he tapped his head mockingly, pretending to search long and hard for the words that would complete his sentence.

Hermione glanced at Harry, a smile already appearing on her face. She opened her mouth to talk, but was rendered speechless at the sight of her friend caught in a display of seemingly deep thought. Who would have ever thought that her awkward, skinny, and uncertain friend would turn into the deeply handsome and self assured young man that sat before her today. Hermione stared for a moment longer, and then shook her head, snapping herself out of her temporary reverie.

Throwing a handful of grapes at him, which Harry deftly deflected, she let out a small laugh.

"And work _hard_ you idiot."

Harry smiled at her words.

"I _knew_ that."

Hermione shook her head again and the two fell into companionable silence. After a few still moments of staring into space, Harry turned his head sideways, and watched another group of people slowly make their way into the dining area.

In the lead was Andrew Kirke. Harry was quickly reminded that he needed to talk to him about the Quidditch practice that he was holding later this evening. Though being Gryffindor captain was the most rewarding and exhilarating thing he'd ever done in his life, it was also hard as nails to track everyone down so that the team could put in their appropriate practice hours. It had been even harder to audition Gryffindor hopefuls and replace Katie Bell.

Right behind her was Ron, Neville, and Dean each looking the worse for ware. He noticed, with slight amusement, that Seamus was nowhere in sight. Shay was the heaviest drinker of all five of them and some mornings he just couldn't make it out of bed; especially after being at Hogsmeade all night.

Harry instantly became more alert when he saw who was bringing up the rear. She walked slowly and purposefully towards her table, her nose wrinkled, as though she'd caught wind of something extremely unpleasant.

Just a few short weeks ago, her very face had grated on his nerves. Now, he couldn't help but smile at the way she sat down, nose slightly in the air, and tenaciously began unpeeling the banana that she held in her hand.

There was no entourage of girls accompanying her this morning, only Theodore Nott, who for some reason, seemed to follow her hand to foot in everything she did.

Harry was tempted to be annoyed by his presence at her side, but his focus refused to waver from the fruit that she was currently sliding into her mouth.

She pushed it in half way.

Once.

Twice.

And then bit off the tip, chewing the soft substance slowly, almost meticulously.

She went in for another bite, but not before she carefully licked her lips to clear her mouth of any residual matter.

Harry swallowed.

It wasn't until Ron gave a loud groan, that he was snapped back to the conversation which appeared to be at hand.

Harry flushed slightly, embarrassed that he had been staring her down so thoroughly for so long.

He hoped that no one had noticed his actions as he wasn't ready to share with anyone, much less his friends, that he was attracted to Pansy Parkinson.

Unfortunately for Harry, the last person whom he would have expected to catch him, did. But instead of busting at the seams after witnessing what could have been construed as a tantalizing bit of gossip, Hermione was taken aback and somewhat horrified that the most lustful look she had ever seen cross her best friend's face, was directed at someone who, up until now she had sworn was their most enemy.

**

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AN2:** Reminder…u can always contact me immediately at my livejournal account. If the link above doesn't show properly, b/c ff dot net doesn't like us linking to other sites, just go to livejournal dot com and look for kallie1385. 

**Remember**: Embrace the ship of Harry and Pansy forever!


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